Slurry feeding apparatus



Aug. 3, 1948. w. B. KLEIN 2,446,373

SLURRY FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1, 1944 Patented Aug. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES .ATiENT oFFioE' SLTTRRY FEEDING APPARATUS William B. Klein, Chicago, =Il1.

Application "September 1, 1944, ScrialNo. 552,361

I Claims. 1

The present invention'is directed to an appara-- bus for feeding a slurry of finely powdered material such as diatomaceous earth to a filter'havin-g foraminous plate surfaces upon Which the materun is initially deposited in the form of a coatin which thereafter serves as a filtering medium for beer or other liquids. In an apparatus of this character'it is important to introduce the mate'- rialinto the stream of beer or the like in a finely comminu-ted evenly disposed condition, and the present mechanism is designed to attain this re"- sult.

Filtering material which may be properly re rerred to as filter-aid is first introduced into the slurry tank to a volume of liquid is admitted to moisten the filter-aid or material which, being heavier than the liquid, will settle to the bottom the form of a somewhat stiff paste in'whi'ch conditionit will be fed downward 1:9 and first com-mingle with additional liquid diverted from the main stream running toward the filter, afterwhich thecommi-nuted and addition'ally liquified mixture will be introduced into the mainstream so that when it reaches the filter, it will be thoroughly distributed throughout the volume of liquid and thereby deposited'evenly on the filter plates to provide a constantly renewing filter surface until the deposit accumulate's to an excessive thickness after which the filter plates are washed in preparation for another cycle or the operations above described.

The :present invention is not concerned with the filter itself, but only with those features which serve to additionally 'liqui-fy and introduce the thinned out slurry into the stream of liquid newing' to the filter.

:Eurther objects and details will appear from the *description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the slurry tank of the present invention partially broken away toreveal'the base of the tank;

Fig. -2 is a cross-sectional view of the base of the tank showing in dotted lines the arrangement of the passages;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevati'onof the passagesithrough which thesluiry is directed and .Fi'g. 4 is a view of the passages taken at right angles tot-he section of Fig. 3 together with the means :for adjusting the discharge valve from the tank.

"The resent invention -is applied to the base of the tank In having ai'cover H which mounts a motor 12 "adapted through :a suitable ge'a'r reduction train 43 to impart slow rotation through :a

2 I vertical stub shaft :14, which when the cover is lowered in position will engage through asui tabl-e chuck connection with a vertical scraper shaft T5. The cover together with the motorandassociated parts "is adapted to be raised by the rotatron-of an adjusting screw l li rotatably engaging with a head n on the frame lli which is carried by the cover. "The adjusting screw isthreaded through a sleeve 'lll atthe inner *end of aswin'gingarm 2n and the upper end of the screw carries a handwheel 2|. The arm 2-D is 'sw ivelled upon and over a ;post"22 which permits th cover, when lifted, to be swung away "from "the head of the tank. "Whenthe cover is registered with-the tank and lowered, it will be sealed in posit-ion by clamping "screws 23, mounting handwheels 25 and carried by pivoted brackets -25 secured'to acollar 2B, which surrounds the upper end of the tank. Theab'ove 'f'e'aturesare standard in the art and need not be described in further detail. A capped charging tube 25a permits charging wane-unraing the "cover.

The base 26 of the tank is of dished formation, and the filter-laid material deposited thereon is slightly lifted by the rotation of scraper "blades 2.1 which radiate from a collar 28 keyed to the shaft P5. The scraper blades, of which one is shown in sectionin Fig. 1, are wedge-shaped in cross-section with the leading edge thin and sharp and in close proximit to the dished surface-of the tank while the trailing edge is thicker so that the acting upper faces of the blades will present .a .slight obliquity to the base of theftank with the result that theslurry, in the form of .a relatively stiff paste, will be elevated slightly as the blades pass under the mass therebys'eruin in .a slight degree, :to constantly soften the -mass so that it will not condense into a solid cake or beoome harder than is required to permit its discharge by gravity from the base of the tank.

The base of the tank has secured thereto a base plate 29 which affords a .-cent-ral bearin .for the scraper shaft t5 and is extended laterally therefrom to afford communication with a discharge aperture '30 whicheregisters with-apassage 31 in the plate (see Fig. 4') Thebase plate serves as a connection for the feeder valve casing 32 which is suspended below the tank at oneaside of the :ce'nterithereof.

The feeder valve casing is cored to provide a liquid inflow passage -33 of relatively smaller diameter than a liquid outflow passage 34 and which communicates at the eenter of the easing with the liquid outflow passage 34 of relatively ig r'eater diameter -=than the inflow passage 3 33. The center of the casing is formed to provide an internal neck 35 which on the outflow side is extended to provide a threaded nipple 35 into which is screwed the inner end of a centrally disposed mixing tube 31 having mounted thereon a plurality of spaced skirts 38, the head ends of which closely fit around and are rigidly secured to the mixing tube while the flaring rear ends extend out into the liquid channel within the outflow passage and servejto divert liquid inwardly therefrom through obliquely extending apertures 39 drilled through the walls of the mixing tube at the converging forward end of the respective skirts.

The neck is flared at its upper end and merges into a valve chamber 40 provided with a beveled seat 4| which coactswith a valve 42 carried by a stem 43 extending through a central vertical sleeve 44 and boss extension 45 .to. the exterior of the feeder valve casing.

It will be noted that the passageway through the neck 35 is walled off from direct communication with the inflow and outflow passages which, however, communicate around the sides of the neck, so that the current flow of the liq- ;uid is maintained at suflicient velocity to divert the required amount of liquid into the mixing tube through the skirted apertures 39 thereby creating a suction which draws down the required amount of filter-aid material admitted past valve 42, which material is first commingled with the flowing liquid within the tube to provide a thinned out slurry before its final admission intothe main stream. The outflow passage terminates in a coupling head 46 to which is secured a sight glass 4! having a coupling 48 to which is secured a flexible hose 4!! leading to the filter tank, not shown, If desired the mixing tube 3! may be extended into the sightglass to make visible the amount of thin slurry being axial alignment with the mounting for the shaft 5. The outer end of the lever 52 has pivoted thereon a socket 58 which receives and pivots the lower end of an adjusting screw 51 which is threaded through the hub of a handwheel 58 journalled between the upper and lower arms 59 and-60 of a bracket 6| hanging from the base of the tank, the arrangement being such that the rotation of the handwheel will vertically adjust the screw 51 to'raise' or lower the lever 52, and thus adjust the valve stem 43 to regulate the rate of discharge ofthe slurryfrom the tank.

In order to provide for the equalizing of pressures within the tank and within the inflow passage, a pressure equalizing valved pipe 62 is provided which leads from the upper portion of the tank downwardly and makes connection with the inflow passage. In order to make inspection of conditions within the tank, aplurality of sight glasses 63 are provided but such features are common in the art and need not be described in detail.

Operation The operation may be briefly summarized as follows: With the top cover swung back,-the required amount of filter-aid material is introduced into the tank, and with the valve 42 closed, liquid of the character to be filtered--beer for instanceis admitted to the tank through the pipe 62, and pressure is equalized within the tank and the feed valve casing. The filter-aid material will deposit like a sediment in the base of the tank to the required depth and in a relatively stifi pasty condition sufficiently moist, however, to readily flow out in the required amount when the discharge valve is opened. The. motor will be operated to slightly lift the body of filter-aid material as the scraper blades revolve and a proper current flow will be established through the feed valve casing and to the filter.

In these conditions, the thick pasty slurr will I be drawn. down in proper amount from the base of the tank and into the neck 35 and out through the mixing tube 31 where it will encounter additional liquid diverted from the main stream to the interior of the tube. The thick slurry will thus be transformed into a thin slurry and discharged from the end of the mixing tube which extends to a point near the coupling head 46. Thus, by the time the slurry reaches the main stream of liquid, it will be in a thinned out condition so that it will readily mingle and diffuse through the main stream and thus become thoroughly comminuted by the time it reaches the surfaces of the filter plates. It is to be under stood that the scraper blades do not act, in any appreciable degree, as a mixer since they simply elevate the mass of thick slurry slightly with each passage, so that the compacting of the mass will be prevented in, any degree which would impair its pasty condition or interfere with its discharge. It will also be understood that the scraper blades do not act as feeders since the inclination of the blades is such as to produce a lifting of the mass rather than a forcing down thereof into a discharge aperture. Although the invention has been described in full detail, it will be understood that variations in the form and arrangement of the passage and the nature of the feeds may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In slurry feeding. apparatus, the combination of a. tank adapted to hold a deposit of filtering material in the form of a relatively thick slurry with a superposed volume of liquid, the tank being provided with an aperture in its bottom, a feeder valve casing communicating with the aperture in the tank bottom and a-valve for regulating the discharge of slurry through said aperture, thevalve casing being provided with communicating inflow and outflow channels and an inner passageway adapted to receive slurry admitted by the valve, an inner mixing .tube Within the outflow channel apertured at the inner end portion and communicating with said inner passageway and adapted to receive liquid diverted from the outflow channel to the interior of the tube tomix with and increase theliquification of the slurry within the mixing tube prior to its discharge into the stream flowing through the outflow channel.

2. In slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to hold a deposit of filtering material in the form of a relatively thick slurry with a superposed volume of liquid, the tank being provided with an aperture in itsbottom, a feeder valve casing communicating with the aperture in the tank bottom and a valve for regulating the discharge of slurry through said aperture, the valve casing being provided with communicating infiowl and-ioutfiow-channelsz and an: inner" passageway adapted: to; receive: slurry admitted) by the valve-,1 aninnerr' mixing tube withirrthe outflowachannel aperturedatrits inner end portion and adaptedito receiveiliduid diverted tor the interior? of the: mixing tube to l mix with and increaseltheiliqnificationiof tha-slurryewithin the. n1ining;tube'-.prior to the dischargepiz such slurryvinto thecstream flowingthrough the outflow-channel, and 'anoutwardly proj ectlng mem be! ad-giacent theapertured portion of the mixing tube-arranged to: direct liquid iromi the stream to -the interior Of themixing-tube tumix: with andth imthe: slurry in the mixing tubez-prior to the: discharge 1 of suchslurr'yinto=the stream throughthe outflow channel.

3. In slurry feedingapparatus,--: the" combinationmf ia tank adapted toholda deposit'offil teri ng material in the form of a relatively thick SllllTWWlth-J a superposed' volumeof liquid; the tankleeingprovided' with an aperture in its bottom and having a rotatable scraper tapered-in thickness from its leading edge and" adapted, when rota-ted, to'elevate said depositto replenish the desired moisture content thereof, a feeder valvecasing communicating with theaperture in the tank bottom and'a valve-for regulating the discharge of slurrythrough said aperture, the valve casing being provided with'communicating inflow and outflow channels and an inner passageway adapted to receive slurry" admitted by the valve, an inner mixing 'tube within the outflow channel' communicating with said inner passageway-toreceive slurry therefrom and apertured at its inner endportion and adapted to receive liquid'diverted from'the ou-tflbwchannel to-mix' with=the slurry within the mixing tube to increase the-'liquification of-"the' slurry within the -mixing tubeprior tome-discharge of such slurry-into the" streamflowing through the'outflow "channel, and an outwardly projecting skirt located in the-outflow channel adjacentthe aper tured' portion ofthe mixing tube and arranged to divert liquid from said" outflow channel to the interior of'the-mixingtub'eto mix'wi'th and thin the slurry therein prior to the discharge of such slurry from the mixing tube into the stream fiowingthrough the outflow channel.

4; In slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted tohold adeposit offi1= tering material in the form of a relatively thick slurry with" a superposed volume of liquid; the tank being. providedv with an aperture" in its bottom; a'feeder'valvecasing communicating with the aperture inlthetank bottom-and a valve for regulating the discharge of slurry through said aperture; the valve casing being provided with communicating inflow and outflow channels'and an inner passageway of elbow shape having its intake end directed upwardly below the valve. and its" outlet end directed horizontallywitliin the outflowchannel, said inner passageway being adapted to receive slurry admitted by the valve, an inner mixing tube within the outflow channel communicating With-the horizontal outlet end of the inner passageway.- and: receiving slurry therefrom, said inner mixing tube being apertured'at" its inner end portion and adapted to receive liquiddiverted' from the outflow channel to mix with the slurry in the mixing tube to increase the liquification of such slurry prior to the discharge of slurry from the mixing tube into the stream flowing through the outflow channel, and an outwardly projecting member located adjacent the apertured end portion of the tube and arrangedito divert liquid from the: stream to the interior of the mixing tube.

5'. Inzs-lurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to holdz-a dep'ositiof filtering material in the formnof va relatively thick slurrywith a superposed. volume of liquid, the tank: being provided with an aperture in. its bot-' tom and: having arotatable scraper tapered: in thickness fromits leading edge and adaptedwhen rotated: to-elevate said deposit to replenish the desiredrmoisture content thereof, a feeder'valve casing communicating with the aperture inthe tank bottomaand a valve for regulating the d is charge of slurry through said aperture, the valve casing being providediwith communicating. inflow and.=outflow channels and an" inner passageway of elbow shape having its intake end directed upwardly b'elowthe valve and its outlet end directedhorizontally within the outflowchannel, said inner' passageway, being adapted to receive slurry admitted by the valve, an inner mixing tube within the outflow channel communicating with the horizontal outlet end of'the inner pas-'- sageway and having an apertured innerend:' por-- tion adapted to receive. liquid diverted from the outfiow-channel-to the interiorof the mixing tube tovmix with slurry therein to increasezthe liquifie cation of the slurry within said mixing tube-prior to the discharge of slurryfrom the mixing tube into the stream flowing through the outflow channel, and an, outwardly projecting skirt 10+ cated in the outflow channel adjacentthe aper= tured inner end portion of. the mixing tube" and arranged to direct liquid to the interior of; the mixing tube from the stream flowing. through the outflow channel.

6. In-slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of. a. tank adapted to hold a deposit of filtering material inzthe form of a relatively-thick slurry with a'superposed volume ofliquid, the tank beingprovided with-an aperture in its bot tom, afeed'ervalve ca'sirrgsecured to the bottom of the tank-and having-an inner passageway-of elbo-wsh'ape with itsintake end directed upwardly below the aperture in the tank bottom anol'it's discharge end directed horizontally, the casing further having inflow and outflow channels com-- municating with one another around the lower end of i the inner passageway; a vertical valve stem adj-ustably entered through the base oithe innerv passageway and carrying a valve at its upper end adapted to seat in position to control the down feeding of slurry through the tank aperture and into the upturned end-of the inner passageway; an inner mixing tube within the outflow channel connected with the horizontal discharge end of the inner passageway and'receiv ing-slurry therefrom and havingits inner end portion apertured to receive liquid divertedfrom the outflow-channel tothe interior of the mixing tube to mix-with slurry therein and increase the liquification of such slurry prior to the discharge of slurry from the mixing tube into the stream flowing through the outflow channel, and means for diverting liquid from the outflow channel through the apertured portion of the inner mixing tube into the latter.

'7. In slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank v adapted to hold a deposit of filter ing material in the form of a relatively thick slurry with a superposed volume of liquid, the tank being provided with an aperture in its bottom, a feeder valve casing secured to the bottom of the tank and having an inner passageway of elbow shape with its intake end directed upward- 7 1y below the aperture in the tankbottom, and its discharge end directed horizontally, the casing further having inflow and outflow channels communicating with one another around the lower end of the inner passageway, a vertical valve stem adjustably entered through the base of the inner passageway and carrying a valve at its upper end adapted to seat in position to control the down feeding of slurry through the tank aperture and into the upturned end of the inner passageway, an inner mixing tube within the outflow channel communicating with the horizontally directed discharge end of the inner passageway to receive slurry therefrom and having its inner end portion apertured and adapted to receive liquid diverted from the outflow channel to the interior of the mixing tube to mix with slurry therein and increase the liquification of the same prior to the discharge of slurry from the mixing tube into the stream flowing through the outflow channel,

and an outwardly projecting skirt located in the outflow channel adjacent the apertured end portion of the mixing tube and arranged to direct into the mixing tube liquid from the stream flowing through the outflow channel.

8. In slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to hold a deposit of filtering material in the form of a relatively thick slurry with a superposed volume of liquid, the tank being provided with an aperture in its bottom, a feeder valve casing communicatin with the aperture in the tank bottom and a valve for regulatlng the discharge of slurry through said aperture, the valve casing being provided with communicating inflow and outflow channels and an inner passageway adapted to receive slurry admitted by the valve, an inner mixing tube within the outflow channel communicating with said inner passageway and receiving slurry therefrom, and having an inner apertured end portion adapted to receive liquid diverted from the outflow channel to the interior of the mixing tube to mix with the slurry therein and increase the liquification of the slurry within the mixin tube prior to the discharge of slurry from the mixing tube into the stream flowing through the outflow channel, means for diverting liquid from the outflow channel through the apertured portion of the inner mixing tube into the latter, the outflow channel being provided with a sight glass to permit observation of the main stream of slurry within the discharge from the inner mixing tube intermixing therewith.

9. In slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to hold a deposit of filtering material in the form of a relatively thick slurry with a superposed volume of liquid, the tank being provided with an aperture in its bottom and having a scraper rotatable on a vertical axis and provided with blades of wedge shape cross section tapered in thickness from their leading edges and adapted when rotated with the thin edges in the leading position to elevate said deposit to replenish its moisture content, a feeder valve casing secured to the bottom of the tank and having an inner passageway of elbow shape with its intake end directed upwardly below the aperture in the tank bottom and its discharge end directed horizontally, the casing further havill ing. inflow and outflow channels communicating with one anotheraround the lower end of'the inner passageway, a vertical valve stem adjustably entered through the base of the inner passageway and carrying a valve at its upper end and adapted to seat in position to control the down feeding of slurry through the tank aperture and into the upturned end of the inner passageway, an inner mixing tube within the outflow channel communicatin with the horizontally directed discharge end of the inner passageway and receiving slurry therefrom, said mixing tube having an apertured inner end portion adapted to .receive liquid diverted from the stream flowing through the outflow channel to the interior of the mixing tube to mix with slurry therein and increasethe liquiflcation of the slurry within the mixing tube prior to the discharge of slurry from the mixing tube into the stream flowing through the outflow channel, and an outwardly projecting skirt located in the outflow channel adjacent the apertured portion of the mixing tube and arranged to direct liquid from the stream in the outflow channel to the interior of the mixing tube.

10. In slurry feeding apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to hold adeposit of filtering material in the form of a, relatively thick slurry with a superposed volume of liquid, the tank being provided with an aperture in its bot-, tom, a feeder valve casin communicating with the aperture in the tank bottom and a valve for regulating the discharge of slurry through said aperture, the valve casing bein provided with communicating inflow and outflow channels and provided with an inner passageway of elbow shape having its intake end directed upwardly below the valve and its outlet end directed horizontally within the outflow channel, said. inner passageway being adapted to receive slurry admitted by the valve, an inner. mixing tube arranged within the outflow channel and spaced throughout its entire length from the walls of said outflow channel and connected with and adapted to receive slurry from the outlet of said inner passageway, said mixing tube being apertured beyond the valve casin and adapted to receive liquid through the apertures diverted from the outflow channel to the interior of the mixing tube to increase liquiflcation of the slurry within the mixing tube prior to the discharge of such slurry into the stream flowing througih theoutflow channel.

WILLIAM B. KLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweden Nov. 4, 193.7 

